Comatose
by Megori
Summary: When tragedy strikes Hiroki and Ritsu in the form of an accident, the two must scramble to their lovers and fight for what they once had. Years worth of a hard earned relationship is on the line for Hiroki and his lover, Nowaki. A first-love that was once over before it began but got a second chance is on the line for Ritsu and the love of his life, Masamune. Egoist & Nostalgia
1. Chapter 1: Prelude to Tomorrow

**Comatose**

By: Megori

_Disclaimer:_ Junjou Romantica (Egoist) and Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi both belong respectfully to Shungiku Nakamura and Kadokawa. The work you see here is merely a piece of fan fiction in appreciation to the awesome series.

_A/N:_ Back again with my annual story. Haha. Just kidding. Finally found some inspiration to get myself started on another story. Unlike most that I write, this _will_ be a chaptered story (shocking, if I say so myself) as well as a crossover between the Junjou Romantica and Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi mangas (which are both set in the same universe anyway). This is a story I've been hacking out in my brain for a while but haven't found time to scribble down, so I apologize beforehand if it's a bit messy (and OOC). Hope you enjoy and please, concrit of any kind is highly appreciated. I haven't really been keeping up with either manga series either, so if I get anything wrong, let me know (I'll consider changing it).

_Rating:_ PG  
_Characters:_ Kusama Nowaki, Kamijou Hiroki, Onodera Ritsu, Takano Masamune  
_Genre:_ Drama, Romance

_Chapter 1: _Prelude to Tomorrow

"I'm really sorry, Hiro-san," the tall black haired man pleaded as he stumbled onto the bus he'd nearly missed. He gave the bus driver a thankful smile, slipped in his fare and flopped onto an empty chair, breathing slightly heavy from his run to the bus stop earlier.

On the other end, his lover fumed, although mostly just for show. His lover, Kamijou Nowaki, was, according to him, the most adorably understanding person in the entire world. Nowaki smiled despite himself as Hiroki rattled off his usual spiel when emergencies came up at work. He was loved, deeply loved, and Nowaki loved it, lived for it and flourished because of it.

"I'm coming home right now," Nowaki replied, returning his attention to his phone conversation. "Surgery went well and she'll be recovering quickly. I'm just glad it wasn't as complicated as it could have been. I really wanted to see you tonight."

Even without seeing it, Nowaki could feel the flush rising across his lover's cheeks. A smile slipped across his face as his lover stammered into the phone, ending his line with, "S-stupid! Just hurry up and get home."

"I will," Nowaki replied, his mirth showing full in his gray eyes. "I love you, Hiro-san."

Silence.

"I'll see you in a little bit then, when I get home," Nowaki added, knowing full well his lover was blushing to the tips of his ears by now. "Bye."

"B-bye," came the stammered reply from over the phone.

The bus came to a rolling stop as it approached another stop. A few people shuffled off the bus and a few trickled in. Without meaning to, Nowaki's gray eyes met brown eyes. Although a complete stranger, Nowaki nodded with a light smile at the man to signify his acknowledgment of their eye contact. The stranger, another tall, black haired man with dark bags under his eyes, slightly hidden by his dark rimmed glasses, nodded once and plopped onto a seat near Nowaki, his own cellphone held between cheek and shoulder as his hands held a stack of papers and a yellow envelope.

"Don't you dare try to skip out on our appointment tonight, Onodera," the man stated sternly to whomever he was talking to on the other line. He let out an exasperated sigh following a reply from the other end. "If you're not there by the time I'm home, I'll have you whimpering beneath me, begging and crying for mercy." A smile flitted across his face. "Though, I suppose that may be what you're hoping to happen."

"Takano-san!" came a sharp, loud cry from the other end of his phone.

Nowaki, now knowing the other man, currently known to him as Takano, was talking with another man. A blush crept across his face at the information he really didn't mean to hear, but obviously did. When he tried to avert his gaze, once again, he made eye contact with the other man. He smiled sheepishly before quickly looking away and letting his hand fall onto the massive bouquet of flowers resting on his knees.

When the man, Takano, had put his phone away and started paging slowly through the pile of papers in his hands again, Nowaki curiously risked a peek, completely forgetting it was rude to do so.

"Ah, is that manga?" Nowaki asked with rising interest, eyes focused on the doodles across the panels on the page.

The other man looked up, eying him momentarily before replying, "Mm, yeah, but just the storyboard of one."

"Oh!" Nowaki's eyes lit up. "May I ask which one?" Then, remembering that this was a total stranger, he coughed, straightened and held out his hand. "I apologize. I completely forgot myself. I'm Kusama Nowaki, a pediatrician." He smiled.

The other man slid his hand into Nowaki's and shook it briefly. "Takano Masamune, Editor-in-Chief of Marukawa's Emerald Department."

"The shoujo manga department?" Nowaki asked. When he saw Masamune eying him curiously, he continued, "A few of my patients love reading them, so from time to time, I try to keep up with a title or two myself." He smiled.

Their light conversation carried on a bit longer as Nowaki blathered on about the titles he had read and enjoyed from Emerald with a few interjections from Masamune, elaborating on a few specifics and nodding his head in both agreement and thanks. Before long, the two exchanged business cards and mutual acknowledgment of acquiring a new acquaintance.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, as well as the other passengers of the bus, the traffic perpendicular to theirs at the intersection just ahead harbored a small semi-truck that swerved side to side with increasing speed. The driver of the truck had slipped into a quiet slumber, completely forgetting he was behind the wheel after a long, hard day.

Just as the truck impacted into the side of the bus, Nowaki's laughter echoed briefly through the bus, which was swift drowned out by the sound of crushing metal and metal scraping against metal. Glass shards flew toward the two unsuspecting men as the impact threw them out of their seats. Paper and flowers flew about, scrambling in the ongoing impact as the two of them lost their hold on them. Before either one could fully register what was happening, they both landed in a heap of glass, metal and concrete. The bus had tipped onto its side from the impact.

Gray eyes darted about briefly, trying to take in whatever it could. Silence. He couldn't hear a single thing, although he knew he should be able to hear so much. Giving that up, he went for smell. Gasoline. Blood. A faint scent of flowers wafted up to his nostrils as well. Ah, they were his flowers. His for Hiroki. For their anniversary. Tonight. He tried to smile, then tasted the metallic taste of blood. His head whirled as he shot his tired eyes open once more. Just a little bit away from him, a body lay limp. Whose body, he didn't know. Perhaps he knew, but he couldn't recall. It hurt too much to try. As much as he tried to keep focus, everything hurt too much. His will dwindled and his eyes fluttered close.

In the distance, whether it was in his head or not, he wasn't sure. But he heard someone. "Hurry home, Nowaki." A faint smile played across his lips at the familiar line.

Whoever it was though, he couldn't recall. Though he wanted to remember who had said it and why it sounded so familiar to him, his mind faded into the darkness, succumbing to the pain he felt all over his body.

#####

Kamijou Hiroki wasn't usually a very patient man, but when it came to Nowaki, he'd try his damnedest. However, it had been nearing half an hour since his conversation with the man. He had tried to call him a few times to see where his lover was, but all calls ended up nowhere, adding fuel to the sparking fire. Shortly after plopping himself into a chair at the dinner table, he flung himself out. The bastard was going to pay if he didn't have a good reason for being so late.

To commemorate their special day, Hiroki had ended his work day earlier than usual, flew home and began preparing dinner. He was no five-star chef, but when he put his mind to it, he was sure he'd managed to cook like one, at least tonight anyway. The only thing missing from making tonight one of the best, though he'd never say it aloud, was his lover.

Surely, had work called him in again, he would have phoned to let Hiroki know of the change in plan. Exasperated, he threw his arms into the air, grabbed his cellphone and began pacing the length of their living room. After a deep breath, he paused and redialed the number he knew by heart, well, the number he cared most about anyway.

"I'm sorry. The number you have dialed is-"

Hiroki flipped his phone off, sighed heavily and flopped onto the couch. "Where the heck are you, you idiot?"

Deciding it best to resign for the moment, he took hold of the remote and turned the television on. The news. It was about the only thing Hiroki watched on a somewhat daily basis, mostly for the sake of weather and traffic. As the news anchor rambled on about an accident that occurred just a bit ago, Hiroki's heart began to race. He must be crazy. There was no reason for him to fret over something like this.

"The only good to this tragic accident is that it happened later in the evening, when less people were on the bus. So far, the death count of this horrid accident has already reached five, including the driver of the truck," the anchorwoman rattled on. "The four passengers of the bus died instantaneously, having flown out of the windows of the bus upon impact. Seven others remain severely-"

As the woman continued her prattle, Hiroki felt his world crumble beneath him. Behind her, two members of the rescue team and a medic rushed a stretcher from the tipped bus toward an ambulance. Everything else faded away as Hiroki focused on the man in the stretcher. It couldn't be. It just couldn't.

#####

Onodera Ritsu turned the lapels of his coat up, shielding his neck from the cold as he rubbed his ungloved hands together. It was seriously starting to annoy him, having to wait out in the cold like this. He didn't even want to be here to begin with, or so he continuously told himself. He chided himself for even doubting what he considered fact. As he paced in front of his neighbor's door, he glanced at his watch again. Thirty minutes. Well, it was nearly forty-five now, but he figured he'd give the man, his lover perhaps, he hadn't quite decided yet, a bit of leeway since he was picking up a manuscript. Their deadline was fast approaching, after all. He'd wait until it actually hit forty-five minutes before giving the man a call to see how much later he'd be.

He stopped pacing at that thought and scolded himself. "Forget it!" He threw his hands up in the air in annoyance, mostly at himself, although he'd just pretend it was at his neighbor, his boss, maybe lover. "He's the one who said not to be late and yet he doesn't even call to say he'll be late." He puffed angrily. "Che, he knows where I live anyway, so if he has an issue with me not waiting for him, he knows where to go."

With that, he stomped toward his door, extracted his key and marched inside his apartment. Takano Masamune was generally a man of his word, so the lack of contact did worry Ritsu a bit, not that he'd admit it. He threw his coat onto a nearby chair and stumbled into his kitchen, in search of dinner, although now it would be more like late supper. With a sigh, he returned to the living room with an apple, the very same one Kisa had thrown to him the day before, teasing him that he ought to eat healthier rather than living off energy drinks.

Just as he settled into his couch, his phone began to ring. Startled, Ritsu leapt from his position on the couch and threw his phone open before realizing he didn't look at the caller id.

"YOU! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Instantly, Ritsu yanked the phone from his ear. He didn't even need to look at the caller id anymore to realize who it was that had called. And while he no longer felt too much animosity from this man, the fact remained that it was still awkward.

"Y-Yokozawa-san?" Ritsu began cautiously. He never did quite know how to hold a conversation with this man, and knowing he called, Ritsu was at a complete loss. "Why are you-?"

Unfortunately, Ritsu was cut short when Yokozawa Takafumi cut him off. "Get your ass to the hospital, NOW!"

"Wha-?" For all Ritsu knew, this man was supposed to be a few prefectures away, on a business trip. The sudden call and demand didn't sit well with him.

"Isaka-san just called me," he continued, cutting Ritsu off once more. His breathing sounded labored, as if he had been running. "I'll be there as soon as I can, but there's no one else I can call to go except you."

"What are you talking about?" Ritsu was completely clueless. What did it matter to him whether or not Isaka, their boss, had called the guy?

"You mean you don't-?!" Takafumi sighed loudly. "Have you seen the news yet?"

"No?"

"Turn it on."

Reluctantly, Ritsu did as told. News reports of a recent accident blared to life on the television he rarely used. "Okay?"

"Masamune was on that bus."

The phone slipped from Ritsu's hand as the news hit him. With a crack, the phone hit the ground and the battery flew out. His feet jellied beneath him, making him crumble back into his couch as his eyes remained glued to the text scrolling on the bottom of the screen, declaring, "Five dead after tragic accident. Seven severely injured." His head spun and he had to close his eyes to keep from vomiting. It had to be a lie. That cocky bastard had just been on the phone with him forty-five minutes ago, demanding he go over to his apartment. It just had to be a lie.

End of Chapter 1

This concluded the first chapter, which was a bit shorter than I had anticipated. Originally, I was going to include the name of the hospital (the hospital Nowaki works for), but I can't remember it offhand and I'm not particularly in a position to look it up right this moment. I was also going to have Nowaki mention a specific title from Emerald, but again memory failed me. Sorry for the dark atmosphere of this chapter. All I can say is, I think it gets better from here? Lol. Hope you guys enjoyed.


	2. Chapter 2: And Yet The Sun Rises Again

**Comatose**

By: Megori

_Disclaimer:_ Junjou Romantica (Egoist) and Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi both belong respectfully to Shungiku Nakamura and Kadokawa. The work you see here is merely a piece of fan fiction in appreciation to the awesome series.

_A/N:_ I just read in some description that Nowaki's eyes are _blue_, not gray (I was going off an image). I'll be changing that from this point onward. I'm not exactly knowledgeable in a number of things too, but I did do brief look ups, so I hope it's okay. I know how I want the story to go, but writing it down the way I want it to go may take a while longer. Thanks for your patience.

_Rating:_ PG  
_Characters:_ Kusama Nowaki, Kamijou Hiroki, Onodera Ritsu, Takano Masamune  
_Genre:_ Drama, Romance

_Chapter 2: _And Yet The Sun Rises Again

Ritsu was sure his heart was ready to pound its way out of his chest. The taxi couldn't have gone any slower, or so he thought. He tightened his grip on his sleeve as his right knee bounced up and down rapidly from a mix of emotions he wasn't quite sure how to name yet. Closing his eyes in an attempt to shut off his mind, he let out a quivering breath. It was all he could do to not lash out at someone or burst into tears, neither of which, he wanted to do.

"Sir, we're here," the driver's voice shook Ritsu out of his own thoughts.

Without fully registering what he was doing, Ritsu thanked the driver, paid and flew into the hospital far more quickly than he knew himself capable of.

"E-excuse me," Ritsu breathed heavily, not entirely sure if it was from the run into the hospital or his nerves simply ready to give out on him. "U-um, is um, a-accident, um..." Ritsu racked his brain, trying to remember what he needed to say.

The receptionist looked up at him, a knowing smile on her face as she waited patiently for him to finish his sentence.

Inhaling deeply, Ritsu willed himself to calm down, at the very least, momentarily. "T-Takano Masamune," Ritsu managed to breathe out, pleading desperately with his eyes for news of some sort to truly relax him.

"Just a moment," the receptionist replied as she began typing furiously on the keyboard before her. Her lips pursed briefly before she returned her gaze to Ritsu. "He was admitted here about half an hour ago and is still undergoing surgery. Would you like to take a seat and wait until they're done? I'll inform you as soon as I know."

Ritsu nodded, unable to find his voice at the moment. After several swallows, he finally managed to thank her and stumble toward the waiting area without being fully aware of what he was doing. As he fell rather ungracefully into a seat, everything finally seemed to finally settle into his brain.

Takano was in an accident. He was currently in surgery. It was a bad accident. It had to have been horrid. Oh god! What if Takano didn't make it through surgery? What if he was already dead? What if he-?

Before Ritsu could stop himself, his shoulders began to shake. His head fell into his hands and tears began falling from his eyes. The silent tears quickly turned into sobs as Ritsu's mind continued racing a million thoughts a mile.

Ritsu had already felt the loss of not having Takano once already, if he lost him again, permanently this time, would he be able to recover?

His shoulders began to shake uncontrollably as his sobbing got louder. Who was he kidding? The first time he thought he'd lost Takano, look how he turned out. Without knowing and uncaring what anyone thought anymore at the moment, Ritsu began to laugh in between sobs. Life was miserable without that giant oaf who thought he could just force his way back into Ritsu's life. All those years he'd spent abroad thinking he could forget about that heartless jackass was absolutely worthless in the end.

Half laughing, half sobbing, Ritsu knew he had to look hysterical. But the fact was, he was. For so long, he fought his feelings, telling himself he didn't love that stuck up bastard he called boss. And here he was, deathly afraid he'd never get the chance to tell him how much he actually did love him. He really was going hysterical.

"Here."

Ritsu looked up and saw a hand extended toward him with a handkerchief. He blinked several more times, his sobbing-laughing fit subsiding a bit. His green eyes met brown eyes.

"Use this," the stranger spoke again, shoving the handkerchief a bit closer to Ritsu.

Even through teary eyes, Ritsu knew the man was uncomfortable. Perhaps his hysteria drove the man to try and stop him, even as uncomfortable as it made the guy to do it. Ritsu hiccuped once before finally taking the handkerchief.

"Th-thank you."

The stranger's hand came to rest at his side, but he remained hovering nearby above Ritsu. Ritsu, on the other hand, dabbed lightly at his face, hiccuping as he went, his sobs finally subsiding.

"I," the man paused for a moment, looking as if he was trying to figure out what to say. His eyes were averted away from Ritsu's. "The wait," the man started again, "the wait is always the hardest part, but you can't let yourself lose hope." He paused again momentarily. "Not while the person you're waiting for is still holding on, fighting."

Ritsu blinked at him, confusion written all over his face.

"I saw you running to the reception desk," the man explained, pointing toward the desk. "It was kind of hard to miss hearing you stammer out, rather loudly, 'accident' the way you did."

"Ah," Ritsu stated without meaning to when it began to click. He blushed slightly and looked back down, still shuddering through the end of his sobbing. In an attempt to hide his face, he began wiping at himself again with the handkerchief.

"Someone important to me was also in that accident."

When Ritsu looked up again, he could see the pain etched into the man's face, even if it was through his profile only. His eyes looked far off as he crossed his arms, perhaps to calm himself, Ritsu surmised.

"We've been together too long for it all to just end here." He exhaled slowly before turning back to face Ritsu, his face softened a bit, as if in sympathy. "I'm Kamijou Hiroki." A weak smile played across his face as he nodded to Ritsu.

"O-Onodera Ritsu," Ritsu replied, nodding his head back in acknowledgment. He twisted the handkerchief in his hands briefly before speaking again. "Th-thank you, really. I—"

"Onodera!"

Both men turned to the source of the shout. A tall man in a slightly crinkled suit with deep navy hair ran to them. Ritsu stood up immediately, recognizing him.

"Y-Yokozawa-san!"

As the newcomer approached them, Ritsu felt Hiroki retreat to the row of chairs across from him.

"How is he?" Yokozawa wheezed as he came upon Ritsu, frantic and out of breath.

Ritsu shook his head, looking at the ground. "Still in surgery. I don't know, really."

#####

Hiroki sighed, wrapping his arms around him a bit tighter. Who the hell was he kidding? What was he thinking telling the kid not to give up? Here he was, ready to shit himself at any given moment because he just couldn't settle his nerves. If it weren't for his pride, he'd be bawling his eyes out too, but because there were people, though not many, out and about in the halls still, he forbade himself from crying.

He was worried. Of course he was worried! Nowaki was lying on a table in some room being operated on, why wouldn't he be worried? But more than that, he was angry. Angry at himself. During their last phone conversation, all he had to do was repeat Nowaki's "I love you" back to him, but even within the comfort and privacy of their home, he refused to say it in return. For all Hiroki knew, that could have been the last time they'd ever speak and he didn't tell Nowaki how much he loved him.

He was despicable. Utterly the most detestable person anyone could have as a lover.

Had he known that may have been the last time he'd get to speak with Nowaki again...

No! He refused to think that way. He wouldn't let his mind think Nowaki wouldn't make it. No matter how badly injured he was, Nowaki would fight to live. He'd crawl his way back from death just to be with Hiroki longer, wouldn't he?

Hiroki inhaled deeply and let it out slow. He rubbed his face, exhaustion quite obviously spreading through him. Closing his eyes, he breathed deep again before returning his gaze to the pair in front of him, if anything, just to keep his mind from wandering to depressing thoughts again.

The shorter, brown haired man noticed Hiroki's attentions on him again and stiffened before turning to the man by his side. "Ah, Yokozawa-san, this is um, Kamijou Hiroki-san," he stated, somewhat questionably, perhaps not entirely sure he remembered Hiroki's name. The man next to him fixed his gaze on Hiroki. "Kamijou-san, this is Yokozawa Takafumi-san."

Hiroki nodded at the newcomer.

"Kamijou-san is also waiting for information on another patient," Ritsu explained, seeing the questioning look on Takafumi's face.

Just as Takafumi was about to extend his hand to Hiroki, his cell went off. "Excuse me," he stated quickly before reaching to his waist. Looking at the caller id, he bowed as a quick apology before stepping toward the other side of the two remaining men.

"Kirishima." He paused as the person on the other line said something. "Yeah. I just got to the hospital." Another silence as he waited for the other man's response. "He's still in surgery. I don't know." Pause. "You don't have to," he replied, then lowered his voice and added, "but I'd appreciate it if you did come." Another pause. "Thanks, sorry."

Silence engulfed the three men, broken only when another man, tall with brown hair, and his daughter approached them. The newcomer spoke in hushed whispers with Takafumi by the door before returning to the waiting area. All four men and one little girl continued to sit silently. Hours passed as the darkness of the night gave way to the rising sun.

#####

"Is Takano Masamune's family here?"

Ritsu's head shot up. Spotting the doctor at the other end of the hallway, he turned toward Takafumi as if needing reassurance that he did, indeed, hear a call for Masamune's family. He made to start standing, but then paused, only just now remembering that he really had no relation to Masamune, aside from that of a boss and subordinate.

"What are you stalling for?" came Takafumi's voice, strained and every bit annoyed.

"But I—" Ritsu stammered out.

Takafumi yanked him by the collar and dragged him the rest of the way to the doctor. "How is he, doctor?"

"You're family?" the doctor replied with a questioning look.

Takafumi shook his head. "Unfortunately, his family cannot be here. I'm Yokozawa Takafumi. I've been named his medical decision maker," with that, Takafumi pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket, something Zen had handed him earlier in the night, "and this is Onodera Ritsu, a very close friend of his as well."

"Very well then," the doctor replied after looking over the paperwork. "Right this way then."

Hiroki scrubbed his face as he watched the two men disappear into the hall. He'd been waiting in the hospital for nearly ten hours already. At the very least, he kept telling himself, this means Nowaki's alive, right? He prayed it was so anyway. Looking up, he made eye contact with the remaining man who's daughter was napping soundly on his lap. He smiled feebly, still attempting to put up a front.

Still, another hour passed before Nowaki's family was finally called and Hiroki made his way toward the doctor. Twice already, he felt as if his legs would give out beneath him.

He let out a breath as he reached the doctor. This is it. Whatever may come, so long as Nowaki was alive, Hiroki would handle it all in stride. He had to. Nowaki being alive was all that mattered.

"Kamijou Hiroki," Hiroki breathed out slowly, trying still to calm his nerves. He held out his hand toward the doctor. "How is he?"

The petite doctor pushed up his round glasses and gave Hiroki his best smile. That many hours of surgery would totally exhaust anyone. "Let's discuss this in my office, shall we? He's being moved to ICU at the moment."

Hiroki nodded, trailing slowly after the man. Thank heavens, at least he was alive. Hiroki exhaled, holding back his tears.

#####

The next several days passed by like a blur for Hiroki. Upon getting Nowaki's diagnosis, Hiroki decided it was best to remain by Nowaki's side for as long and as much as possible. After all, Nowaki still hadn't regained consciousness yet. At the very least, progress was made when Nowaki was finally released from ICU. He was still in the hospital, but at least it wasn't intensive care anymore.

One fortunate thing, Hiroki supposed, was that Ritsu's friend, Takano Masamune, was also in the same room as Nowaki. Much like Nowaki, however, Masamune had yet to regain consciousness too.

With a sigh, Hiroki put down the book he had been reading aloud to the unconscious Nowaki. It wasn't much, but he had run out of things to say himself, but as he didn't want Nowaki to feel alone, he had figured it was better than merely sitting in complete silence. Perhaps it was doing it more for himself, as silence would let his mind wander into all of the what ifs. What if he never wakes up? What if he dies? What if—? He shook his head. He wouldn't allow such thoughts linger. He couldn't.

Just then, the door opened.

"Ah, Onode—" Hiroki paused mid sentence as the person he looked up to wasn't who he was expecting. "Akihiko!" He stood, though not wanting to leave Nowaki's bedside, he remained where he was. "What are you doing here?"

"Tch," Akihiko hissed, walking toward his childhood friend. "You've taken work off. Misaki was worried something had happened and made me find you to make sure you were still okay."

"Takahashi-kun?"

Akihiko grunted an affirmative as he slumped into a chair.

"Kamijou-san, there was—" Ritsu stated, walking into the room with a bowl of water and a hand towel. He paused as he saw the newcomer. "U-Usami-sensei!" Rushing to the side table next to Masamune's bed, Ritsu gently placed the bowl down before making his way to the other two conscious men in the room. "It's a pleasure to see you again." He beamed, as much as he could muster at the moment anyway. "What are you doing here?"

Hiroki stared from Ritsu to Akihiko, just as Ritsu stared from Akihiko to Hiroki.

"Ah," Ritsu stammered out, realizing the other two were probably in the middle of a conversation. "S-sorry. I just, um, I didn't know you knew Usami-sensei."

Hiroki laughed lightly, perhaps a bit strained too. "Akihiko and I are friends. I suppose you could say I'm also a fan of some his works." Hiroki's voice changed, ever so slightly, upon the word "some" and Akihiko cocked a brow at him. "You?"

"Onodera-kun was an editor for me," Akihiko replied, standing up to shake the younger man's hand. "It's been a while, Onodera-kun."

"Likewise," Ritsu replied, taking Akihiko's hand into his and giving it a light shake.

"Well, I should be going. A friend of mine, a student of Hiroki's, was worried he hadn't seen his professor in a few days. He asked me to make sure Hiroki was fine and since I now know that he is, my business is done here," Akihiko replied, turning curtly to Hiroki. "Give me a call should you need anything."

Hiroki nodded his thanks, allowing the man to leave without another word. Hiroki turned back to the man standing nearby when he heard a sigh and let out his first laugh in what felt like forever at the look of utmost admiration on his face.

"You're a fan too, I suppose?" Hiroki teased.

The next few hours, to both of their delight, was filled with conversations of Usami Akihiko's stories, the best of each title and what may or may not have inspired what in each book. For the younger man's sake, Hiroki kept quiet about the other genre Akihiko wrote for and his pen name. There was absolutely no reason to bring that up anyway, even if he, still, collected them.

#####

Two weeks after the accident and still both Nowaki and Masamune were unconscious. Hiroki noted that while Ritsu did bring work to the hospital with him every now and then, not much of it got done. Storyboards of shoujo manga lay on the ground near Masamune's bed as Ritsu was curled in the chair, drool oozing it's way down his mouth. Hiroki couldn't blame him, really. Masamune had spiked a fever several times since the accident and every time he did, Ritsu would lay awake next to him until it finally went away again.

Hiroki smiled. Although the circumstances weren't what he would have liked, meeting Ritsu and seeing the man in a similar situation, although the man denied having a relationship with the other patient, made his own situation a little easier to go through. He wasn't alone and Nowaki would eventually get better too. He sighed as he returned his gaze to the sleeping man in front of him. Nowaki will wake up soon and everything would go up from there.

Gently, he rolled Nowaki to his side, undid the knot of the hospital gown and slid it off Nowaki's upper body. Taking the towel on the stand next to Nowaki's bed, Hiroki dipped it into the warm bowl of water, squeeze it out and began wiping down Nowaki's torso.

"When you wake up," Hiroki began, smiling a bit in spite of himself, "we'll head to the children's ward. I know you won't be able to sit around and do nothing, so we'll drop by and say hi to everyone." With guided practice, his gentle hands continued to wipe the sweat from Nowaki's body. "Then once you're released, we'll finally have our anniversary dinner like we planned. And we'll take a stroll through the park. You know, the one you like? We'll stay there u-until—"

Without realizing, a tear dropped onto the arm Hiroki was currently wiping. He blinked. Was he crying? That didn't make sense. He'd been able to hold himself back up till now, well after he was told of Nowaki's diagnosis anyway. He'd been able to hold it together up to this point and no way did he want to show Nowaki he was caving in now. His lips quivered as he took in a deep breath, steadying his emotions again.

Wiping away his tears with the back of his left hand, Hiroki continued washing Nowaki as gently as he could. They'd make it through this and everything would eventually go back to how it was before. It was okay. They would make it through anything.

After having finished wiping down Nowaki, Hiroki settled back into the chair beside Nowaki's bed and slid his hand into his lover's. Although Nowaki wasn't able to squeeze it back in the comforting way Hiroki would have wanted him to, feeling the warmth of the hand was enough for the time being.

#####

Ritsu's head lolled off the comfort of his arm, jerking him suddenly awake. Blinking his bleary eyes, he unconsciously wiped the drool from his mouth in an attempt to recall where he was. Oh yes, the hospital. Judging from the darkness around him, it was evening. How late, he wasn't sure. Sometime during the day, whilst working on revising a storyboard, he had dozed off. Thankfully, he smiled inwardly, he had at least managed to settle the pile of pages properly on the floor beside him.

Rubbing away whatever remained of his drowsiness, Ritsu turned to look at the patient in the bed beside him. Upon locking eyes with him, he could feel his heart flying toward his throat. Oh god. Could it be?! Ritsu stood clumsily from where he sat, not caring at all at how his limbs cracked and ached from his sleeping position previously.

"T-Takano-san?" He took a step closer, praying his eyes weren't deceiving him. "Y-you're awake..." his voice came out a lot softer than he had anticipated. A smile crept over him without his realization as a confused gaze settled on him in the dimly lit room. "Oh god." Ritsu turned toward the door. Doctor. He needed to get the doctor. As he stepped toward it, he paused, turning back to the man on the bed. His smile broadened. "W-wait just a minute, okay? I'm going to go get the doctor." With that, he scrambled as quickly as he could out the door.

Within a minute or two, Ritsu led the doctor and nurse on duty back to the room and lights flicked on. Masamune blinked rapidly, attempting to adjust his eyes to the sudden brightness.

"Takano-san," the potbellied doctor stated, clipboard in hand with a smile on his own face. "Pleasure to see you awake, son." He scribbled something onto the clipboard as Ritsu went back to the bedside. "Could you tell me what year it is?"

Masamune blinked dumbly. "Who's Takano?"

The doctor looked to Ritsu, who only returned the confused and concerned look.

"S-Saga-sempai?" Ritsu stammered out, attempting another route.

"Who's that?" Masamune replied, looking at the brunette with a raised brow.

Ritsu's stomach churned horribly in his gut. This couldn't be happening.

"What's your name, son?" the doctor attempted another question.

"That," Masamune began. He paused, thinking. "I don't know."

"Do you know where you are?"

Another pause. "I'm not sure?"

"Do you have any recollection of what happened to you?"

He paused again. "N-no, but my arm," Masamune paused, barely lifting his cast covered right arm, "hurts, as does most of my body."

"D-doctor?" Ritsu breathed out, looking intently at the doctor for answers of any sort while the nurse came forward to check Masamune's temperature and other vitals.

After a bit of scribbling on the clipboard and a light shake of his head, the doctor turned his gaze to Ritsu. "It appears Takano-san may be suffering from a rare case of amnesia. Considering the blow to his head and loss of blood from the accident, it's not entirely unexpected. However, we'll have to do a few tests to make sure of it." He turned to Masamune. "Takano-san, you were in an accident about two weeks ago. A number of your scratches and bruises have healed, but you're still sporting a broken arm, four broken and two fractured ribs." He paused. "Everything else seems fine at the moment. Why don't you take it easy for tonight and we'll start the tests tomorrow?"

Masamune nodded. Whatever was going on, he'd eventually figure it out anyway. Either way, he hurt too much at the moment to do anything anyway.

After a brief discussion between the nurse and doctor, they both bid farewell to Ritsu and Masamune and quietly filed out of the room.

Ritsu blinked dumbly at the door. What the heck? Seriously, what the hell had just happened? How was everything "fine" when Takano couldn't even remember his own name? Surely, something was—

"Sorry but, who're you?"

Ritsu jerked his head to Masamune, who stared at his curiously. "I-I'm..." Subordinate? Lover? Underclassmen? Friend? Which one was he, really? Sure, he was his subordinate, but was that it? Was that really all it was? "You were my boss," Ritsu replied dumbly, unsure of what else to say.

"I was your boss?" Masamune replied, a smile slowly making it's way onto his face. "Really?"

Ritsu nodded.

"Takano?" Masamune stated, turning his gaze back to the ceiling. "That's my name?"

"Yeah, Takano Masamune," Ritsu replied weakly, backing slowly into the chair before he crumpled completely onto the floor.

"But you said Saga-sempai earlier," Masamune mused, his gaze flickering back to Ritsu.

"I," Ritsu stammered out, "that—" He paused. Saga Masamune. Without the memory of Saga-sempai, what was their relationship? What of his heart? His pain, anger and jadedness carried over all these years? He stifled a sob. "I should let Yokozawa-san know you're awake." Ritsu stood, fumbled with the cell phone from his pocket and darted out of the room before his legs could give out on him.

#####

A few more days had passed since Masamune first woke up. It was a rare case of post-traumatic amnesia. Apparently, he couldn't recall anything, but at the very least, so Hiroki thought, he was awake, unlike Nowaki. His injuries may be serious, but over time, they'd heal. With or without memories from his past, his future was a completely blank slate. The future was theirs to recreate. Hiroki was sure of it, even if Ritsu wouldn't admit to having anything more than a boss-subordinate relationship with the man. Hiroki could tell it was love from the way Ritsu merely looked at the other man. In many ways, it was the same way Nowaki looked at him, with so much love and concern.

He closed his eyes, hand still clutched tightly to Nowaki's. How he missed seeing that look from Nowaki directed to him. Only him. Hiroki had sworn, after Nowaki woke up, he'd never let his pride in the way of telling the man how much he meant to him. Never again.

Feather light. Hiroki felt it. The soft twitch of fingers in his hand. His head shot up.

"Nowaki?"

Silence.

"Nowaki?" Hiroki whispered, edging closer to the man's face. "Please, let me know if you hear me. Please." He squeezed his eyes shut, pleading silently to whomever it was that would listen and, hopefully, answer his prayer.

Again, the hand around his tightened, if ever so briefly. Hiroki held his breath.

"H-Hiro-san?" a hoarse voice, just barely audible, broke the silence of the room.

"I'm right here," Hiroki replied just as quietly, tightening his grip on the other man's hand. "I'm right here with you."

"H-hurt," Nowaki replied. "I-I," he swallowed, "t-t-th-thir-thirsty."

Hiroki pressed his lips lightly against the other man's forehead. "Okay. I'll go get the nurse. I'll be right back. It'll be just a minute."

With his eyes still shut, Nowaki nodded. Hiroki slipped his hand, ever so reluctantly, from Nowaki's and sped out of the room. Moments later, he returned with a nurse and doctor in tow. The nurse handed him the cup of ice chips as he returned to Nowaki's side, slipping his hand, once again, into Nowaki's.

"Here," Hiroki coaxed, placing an ice chip gently on Nowaki's lips.

"Kusama-sensei?" The tall, gray haired doctor finally spoke as he looked up from the clipboard in his hand.

Without opening his eyes, Nowaki nodded his head as much as he could. "Y-yes?"

"Can you tell me you're name?"

Having let the second ice chip melt completely into his mouth, Nowaki let out a light cough. "Kusama N-Nowaki."

"Good, good," the doctor replied, writing again. "Can you tell me where you are?"

"H-hospital," Nowaki wheezed out, finally blinking his eyes open. He locked eyes with Hiroki and a small smile crept onto his lips. He tightened his grip on his lover's hand.

"Excellent," the doctor continued. "I'm Sasaki-sensei and this is Nurse Fumiko. Can you tell me the last thing you recall?"

Nowaki's brow creased as he thought. "B-bus. I got on t-the bus a-and," he paused, closed his eyes and exhaled slowly before continuing. "I-I could s-s-see," he paused again and swallowed. "T-there was an a-a-accident." He closed his eyes as he finished and swallowed once again.

"Mmhmm," the doctor replied, scribbling quickly across his clipboard.

Hiroki looked at the man, concern written all over his face. "Doctor?" Hiroki swallowed the lump in his throat. "Is there," he paused, looking back to Nowaki, "is there a reason he's stuttering so much?"

"Without tests, I can't be sure," Sasaki replied as his brows creased. "There may be damage to his temporal lobe, but it could also just be him still attempting to get a hold of everything around him."

Hiroki nodded. No matter what it was, Nowaki was still Nowaki. Nowaki was awake. He was fine. Nothing else mattered so long as he was there.

"H-Hiro-san?" came Nowaki's soft voice again.

Hiroki turned to him. "Yeah?"

"Who's the doctor?"

"That," Hiroki turned a questioning glance to Sasaki-sensei. "That's Sasaki-sensei. He's your head doctor."

"I s-see," Nowaki replied, turning his own gaze to the doctor as well. "H-hello, Sasaki-sensei."

Sasaki-sensei blinked for a moment before returning the greeting. "Hello, Kusama-sensei."

"I-I remember," Nowaki began, swallowing hard, "t-there was an accident." He let out an exhausted breath and cringled. "M-my legs." Nowaki attempted to sit up and hold his legs but Hiroki pushed him gently back down. "I can't m-m-move my legs."

#####

Nowaki was alive. Hiroki knew that. He knew he ought to be happy, but he felt as if his heart had been wrenched from his chest, stomped on and thrown into the gutter. Nowaki was alive, but suffered anterograde amnesia, severe stuttering due to damage to the Wernicke Area of his brain and paralysis from the legs down. It was enough that he was alive, but to watch him wake up and realize he could no longer walk was heart wrenching. And yet, the sun continued to rise and set with each passing day, as if nothing was wrong and the world, his world at least, wasn't crumbling again slowly after finally having stabilized when Nowaki woke up. Beside them, Hiroki could see Ritsu thinking the same thing, if not something very similar.

End of Chapter 2

I apologize for rushing the story along. I was losing motivation fast. I'm also no medical student/expert, so whatever I said may have been completely wrong. I did a bit of research myself, but that isn't always accurate. From here, it may take a while until the next chapter is released.


	3. Chapter 3: Memories and Feelings

**Comatose**

By: Megori

_Disclaimer:_ Junjou Romantica (Egoist) and Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi both belong respectfully to Shungiku Nakamura and Kadokawa. The work you see here is merely a piece of fan fiction in appreciation to the awesome series.

_A/N:_Thanks for your patience with me guys. It's been hard to find myself in a mood to write, so the story has been continually stalled on some parts. I'm a horrid procrastinator, but I'll try to do my best to complete this fanfic for you guys. There will also probably be inconsistencies in my writing style, as I'm still attempting to develop one. Sorry, and thanks again.

_Rating:_ PG  
_Characters:_ Kusama Nowaki, Kamijou Hiroki, Onodera Ritsu, Takano Masamune  
_Genre:_ Drama, Romance

_Chapter 3: _Memories and Feelings

Ritsu watched nervously as Masamune trailed his hand along the back of his couch, looking this way and that in his own apartment. There wasn't a hint of recognition at all in his eyes as he took in his home. Then again, Ritsu supposed Masamune hadn't spent much time there anyway, aside from sleeping.

"So," Masamune finally spoke, interrupting Ritsu's nervous daze. The man turned his gaze to Ritsu. "I was an editor-in-chief for a shoujo manga department and you're an employee of said department?" There was a hint of disbelief tinged in his voice as he spoke.

Ritsu nodded slowly. "And neighbor," he added, pointing to the wall separating his apartment from Masamune's.

"That so?"

After another nod from Ritsu, Masamune turned away with a sigh.

"I see."

Ritsu let out a relieved sigh, for what, he wasn't entirely sure. His muscles ached with how stiff he'd been the last hour or so though.

"I find it somewhat hard to believe that a company would allow an employee so much time off to care for another employee," Masamune stated as he eased himself onto the couch. He winced as he did so. His ribs were still on the road to recovery.

Ritsu let out a stiff chuckle as he placed Masamune's bags beside the couch. "Ah, w-well..." He paused, trying to think as quickly as possible. "I-Isaka-san is a very understanding man?" _Damn!_ He hadn't meant for it to sound like a question. "I meant that um, Yokozawa-san explained the circumstances of your situation to Isaka-san and so he understands." Ritsu quickly added, silently praising himself for his quick thinking. "And since I live nearby..."

He stopped prattling uselessly as he began to hear soft snores. When he turned to look at Masamune, he saw that the man had basically fallen asleep sitting up on his couch. Affronted, Ritsu had to remind himself this wasn't on purpose and this Masamune was nearly completely helpless. With a sigh, he headed to the other man's bedroom in search of a blanket. After draping the blanket around Masamune and tucking the sides in slightly, Ritsu stared intently at the other man.

"Takano-san..."

He reached out, slowly, gently, and brushed the tips of his fingers across Masamune's cheek. When he didn't stir, Ritsu caressed his cheek, rubbing his thumb gently.

"Idiot. If you don't remember anything, you'll never get to make me tell you I love you again," Ritsu breathed out just barely above a whisper. He bit back the sob threatening to escape. He had cried enough in the month he spent by Masamune's side in the hospital; he wasn't going to shed anymore tears for something he couldn't change. "You really are an idiot."

"Mmm?"

At the sound of Masamune's soft groan, Ritsu looked up. His eyes locked with Masaume's sleep filled eyes, confusion written all over his face. Ritsu whipped his hand back as quickly as he could and fell onto his butt from the action.

"I just," Ritsu stammered, averting his gaze to the ground immediately. "I-if you're gonna sleep, I'd suggest you head to the bedroom. It'll get uncomfortable for you if you sleep that way and you're still healing, so it'd be best for you to not strain your body anymore than it already is and I thought it might get cold so I..."

He stopped jabbering when he heard Masamune shuffling above him and a hiss.

"W-what are you doing?" Ritsu shot up from the ground and had his arms up and out, ready to help Masamune. Unfortunately, he realized what he was doing and stopped just before touching the other man.

Masamune stared at him. Ritsu stared right back, but as it stretched on, Ritsu felt his cheeks flushing.

"D-don't strain yourself," Ritsu finally bit out, averting his gaze once again and dropping his hands to his sides. "A-anyway," he continued after an awkward silence, "I-I'm gonna go, so if you need me, I'll be next door." With that, Ritsu shuffled quickly to the door and out.

####

Masamune blinked his eyes open blearily as the sunlight penetrated through the slight crack between the curtain. He brushed his fingers across his ribs as pain shot through his spine. With a grunt, he shifted into a sitting position with his legs hanging off the side of his bed. He'd been released from the hospital for a week now and while Ritsu came over everyday, Masamune still drew a complete blank as to what their real relationship was. Ritsu was just always so jittery around him it made even him somewhat uncomfortable.

He shook his head slightly at the thought of the other man and hefted himself into a standing position grudgingly. Trying to find a way to pass the time until Ritsu came was boring. He'd already gone through most of his possessions in an attempt to find out anything regarding his past. Unfortunately for him, he came up with absolutely nothing, aside from the fact that he apparently enjoyed books a lot, considering the walls lined with books in every room of his apartment.

During his time in the hospital though, he'd learned that he had once had a cat named Sorata, of which, Takafumi had taken in. He had also learned that Takafumi was a good friend of his from his university days, although his visits were generally brief due to his work schedule. There were far too many uncertainties for Masamune to rest easy, although his doctor had said if he'd just take it easy, it was possible he may eventually regain his memories.

With a heavy sigh, he stripped as he walked to the bathroom. A shower was due after washing up and he was alone anyway. It became kind of ritualistic for him now to wash away his frustrations of not being able to recall anything. He hated the helpless feeling it gave him. Vulnerable. He hated feeling that way.

Masamune stepped out of the bathroom with a towel hanging loosely around his waist, hair still slightly damp when he heard some dishes clanking from the kitchen. As he approached, he saw Ritsu frantically moving about, trying to set the table with an array of dishes.

"Onodera-san."

"Ah!" Ritsu flinched at the sound of his name, so caught up in going through the cupboards he hadn't heard Masamune approach. As he jumped backward, he knocked over the bowl he had just placed onto the table. "Gah!" He looked up with a scowl and locked eyes with Masamune.

Masamune laughed.

As if that woke him from his trance, Ritsu flushed brightly. His eyes traveled the length of Masamune's body before he flushed even brighter and averted his gaze. "Y-you should hurry up and put something on. It'd be a pain if you got sick while you're still recuperating," Ritsu stammered as he bent down to pick up the bowl he'd knocked down.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be fine," Masamune replied, moving into the kitchen. "It smells delicious."

"Well you shouldn't take that risk. Put some clothes on."

Masamune noted Ritsu stalling on as he stared intently at the bowl rather than reaching out to pick it up. A smile quirked across his lips. "You're here earlier than usual."

"Yeah well," Ritsu began after he'd finally picked up the bowl and deftly stood up, turning toward Masamune. His cheeks remained a deep shade of red and his eyes roamed everywhere but at the man in front of him. "I've been approved to work half days in the office now since they've transferred in a new part-timer to help lessen the load a little for the rest of us."

Masamune looked thoughtfully at Ritsu as he fumbled with the dishes in the bag, taking far more time to take each container out than necessary. "A part-timer?"

"Yeah," Ritsu replied, still avoiding Masamune's gaze. "His name's Takahashi Misaki. Apparently he worked odd jobs around the office previously. Since we were kind of in dire need, Isaka-san pulled him into Emerald to help. He's been pretty good so far."

"That's good."

"P-put something on!" Ritsu stated, interrupting Masamune and fixing him with a hard glare. His cheeks were still blazing red.

Masamune's smile widened just a fraction. It seems that while Ritsu being jittery made him somewhat uncomfortable, something in his gut also found satisfaction in it. "All right, all right." He turned to go back into his room for a change of clothes. "But you know, you don't have to bring lunch and dinner over everyday."

"I-I know that," Ritsu replied, turning back to the contents of their lunch. "The doctor said to make sure you're resting, eating and taking your medication properly though."

As Masamune went to dress, he had a niggling feeling there was something far more than just that for being the reason Ritsu came over everyday for lunch and dinner. Ritsu had blushingly asked for a spare key the second day after his release from the hospital, supposedly just in case something happened to him, Ritsu would be able to get into his apartment easily. Of course, Masamune had no qualms about eating lunch and dinner with Ritsu though. It was far better than eating alone, wallowing in his thoughts of having no memory of anything.

Lunch passed with Ritsu detailing Misaki's training and Hatori's frustrations as current editor-in-chief in Masamune's absence. Ritsu shooed him out of the kitchen after lunch to clear the table and wash the dishes.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Masamune stated from the kitchen doorway.

Ritsu stiffened. "I-I already told you—"

"I know, but I meant," Masamune interjected with a sigh, crossing his arms across his chest, "I may have no memories and in a bit of pain, but I'm not completely helpless. I know you're busy with work and your own life as well. I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I really would rather not burden you. You probably have other friends or a girlfriend or something else to tend to as well."

Ritsu shut off the water and rounded on Masamune, glaring daggers at the man. "I know that. I know you're not helpless and I know you're capable! And I might be busy with work or whatever, but if you were a burden, I wouldn't give two shits about you!"

Ritsu came to a stop just before Masamune and for some reason, a flash of shoving Ritsu against the wall and kissing him fiercely flitted through Masamune's mind. He flushed slightly, averting his eyes.

"Sorry, I just," Masamune swallowed, stalling for time. He wasn't even sure why he was apologizing, but he felt guilty all the same. Perhaps it was the image he had just had that made him feel that way. "Thank you."

"That's right," Ritsu replied, pushing ever so slightly passed Masamune as he stepped into the living room. "Remember that. I've got something to do right now, so I'm heading out, but call me if something comes up."

"Right," Masamune replied as Ritsu practically stormed out of his apartment.

####

Ritsu huffed angrily as he stormed out of Masamune's apartment. To be honest, he wasn't even sure what he was angry about, but he was angry. At the same time, he was thoroughly embarrassed at what he had just confessed. What the hell was wrong with him to have blurted something that lame out? He slammed his head against the elevator wall as he headed down to the first floor.

With no real destination in mind, he stepped out into the quiet midday and sighed. He hadn't had the intention to leave Masamune's so quickly after lunch, but he couldn't bring himself to head back, that was for sure. Reluctantly, he turned left and just started walking.

Ritsu wasn't sure how long he'd been unconsciously wandering before he heard "Ah! Hiro-chan!" and slammed headfirst into someone. It didn't hurt, but it had disoriented him.

"Sorry, I—" the familiar voice in front of him began and stopped just as quickly. "Ah, Ritsu-san."

Ritsu looked up and found himself staring at Kamijou Hiroki with Kusama Nowaki in a wheelchair not too far behind. "Hiroki-san."

The three of them ended up in the nearby park, as Hiroki and Nowaki were headed there and Ritsu had no destination in mind, so he simply followed.

"How's Takano-san doing?" Hiroki asked, taking a seat on the bench and handing a can of juice to Ritsu. "Any better?"

Ritsu stared at the can of juice in his hands. As awkward as it was, he'd befriended Kamijou Hiroki in the last five weeks with all of the time the two spent in the hospital together, visiting their respective patients. He had never mentioned the depth of his relationship with Masamune to Hiroki, but Ritsu was pretty sure Hiroki picked up on it anyway.

He swallowed before answering. "He's recovering more and more everyday, physically. But he still doesn't recall anything."

"That's good to hear," Hiroki replied. "As long as he's healing, new memories can be remade everyday."

At this, Ritsu looked up at Hiroki, but Hiroki was staring longingly as Nowaki. Hiroki may have never actually said it either, but Ritsu was sure that Hiroki and Nowaki had quite the intimate relationship. If he were honest with himself, he was envious of what they had, still have. Yes, new memories could be remade everyday, but he'd already steeled himself to being nothing more than just friends with Masamune. If his memories never came back, it didn't matter. Masamune could go off and love whomever he wanted. It would finally give Ritsu the freedom he wanted from that overbearing jerk.

Yeah, right. Easier said than done.

"It may seem impossibly hard at times," Hiroki stated, interrupting Ritsu of his thoughts, "but the possibility is still there if you're willing to at least try."

Ritsu turned to look at Nowaki, who had parked his wheelchair next to a group of kids, talking animatedly to them. "How are things with Kusama-san coming along?"

"It's a long road to full recovery, if even," Hiroki stated, looking down to his own can of juice before turning to Ritsu with a feeble smile. "However, progress is being made everyday and for that, I'm grateful."

Ritsu nodded in response.

"If there's anything I've learned from this, it's being grateful for getting another day, hour, even minute, of just being with him longer," Hiroki continued.

Ritsu pondered that thought for a bit. Should he too, be grateful for being given a bit more time to be with Masamune? There was no way in hell he'd ever think that! He wasn't even love with the guy. But could he be grateful for more time as a mere friend? Hell, were they even friends? Really? He wasn't so sure. Up until one month ago, Ritsu only considered Masamune an overbearing pest, always forcing himself on Ritsu.

He wasn't sure how long the silence between them persisted, but by the time he knew it, Hiroki bid him farewell and started toward Nowaki, who was scribbling into a notebook on his lap. Nowaki called out a quick, "See ya, Ritsu-san!" before the two exited the park.

Left alone to his thoughts, Ritsu flung himself sideways, lying his entire upper half on the now empty bench. He buried his face in his hands and let out a muffled groan. What the hell was he supposed to do in situations like this? He wasn't in love; he wouldn't let himself love that bastard.

He groaned again. In times like this, he wished he had someone to talk to. Someone who knew and understood everything who could help him clear the muddle his brain was in at the moment. Unfortunately for him, he'd always preferred to remain alone in most cases. Perhaps he could talk with Takafumi, but that was doubtful, considering the man seemed to hate his guts.

Who could he possibly...

Ritsu pulled his hands from his face suddenly and sat up rigidly. Of course. There was always that option. He rummaged his pockets for his phone, dialed and lifted it to his ear tentatively. Did he really want to do this? But before he could second guess himself, there was a click.

"Hello?" the familiar voice drifted over the phone.

"Ah. An-chan..."

End of Chapter 3


End file.
